• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Calgary edges Winnipeg

Nov 6, 2011 - 4:31 AM Calgary, AB (Sports Network) - Jon Cornish and Henry Burris ran for scores, and Calgary held off Winnipeg, 30-24, but ultimately finished in third place in the West Division.

Drew Tate completed 15-of-28 passes for 207 yards with a TD and an interception for the Stampeders (11-7), who won their final three games of the regular season. Despite this, they needed to have Montreal beat BC Saturday night in order to get second place in the West. The Lions rolled to a 43-1 win, meaning the Stampeders will face Edmonton in the conference semifinals next Sunday.

"It gives us really good momentum going into the playoffs," Tate said.

Alex Brink connected on 22-of-33 passes for 202 yards with a score for the playoff-bound Blue Bombers (10-8), who dropped their final two regular season contests. They nearly rallied from a 24-0 deficit Saturday.

"It's hard when you get yourself in a hole," Brink said. "

Winnipeg clinched first place in the East thanks to Montreal's loss and will get a first-round bye. The means the Alouettes will host Hamilton in the East semifinals next Sunday.

Rene Paredes kicked a 47-yard field goal early in the opening quarter and Brink fumbled after being sacked by Junior Turner later in the stanza. Brandon Smith recovered the ball at the Winnipeg 31. That turnover led to Cornish's four-yard TD run.

With nearly 1 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter, Chris McCoy blocked Jamie Boreham's punt and the Stampeders pounced on the football at the Winnipeg 33. Four plays later, Tate's 11-yard TD pass to Ken-Yon Rambo boosted the lead to 17-0 going into the second quarter.

It became a 24-point margin on a one-yard TD run from Burris. Tate highlighted the march with a 54-yard bomb to Rambo.

Chris Garrett finally got the Blue Bombers started on the comeback trail with a two-yard scoring run, and a Calgary turnover led to more points for Winnipeg. Tate was picked off by Jovon Johnson and Clarence Denmark's leaping 18-yard TD reception made it 24-14 in the final minute of the second quarter.

LaMarcus Coker fumbled away the ensuing kickoff with 34 seconds remaining, leading to Justin Palardy's 39-yard field goal to conclude the half's scoring.

Paredes booted a 44-yard field goal midway through the third, but a major penalty gave the Blue Bombers a second chance at a score early in the fourth. Johnnie Dixon ran into Palardy during a missed field goal, and Brink capitalized with a two-yard run into the end zone for a 27-24 difference.

Paredes split the uprights from 37 yards away midway through the fourth, and a Brink third-down pass went awry late in the fourth.

Game Notes

Garrett caught nine balls for 38 yards, while Denmark had five catches for 54 yards...Garrett gained 64 yards on 17 carries...Winnipeg has lost nine straight games at McMahon Stadium.